Hello hello, (howdy) The content of this chapter is character building...and very bubbly at the end. (yep, fluffy fun!) yes, so have fun reading! (and thanks to ktkakes for reviewing).
Race checked his pulse to make sure he was breathing and poked him to see if he could wake him. After several pokes and no movement from Mush, Race stood up.
"Now do I leave you and get help or shout for help?" Race thought out loud. "HELP! I FOUND HIMM OVER HERE!!!!" Race yelled at the top of his lungs.
"WHERE'S OVER HERE?!" Angel yelled back.
"Dear me, I'm going to have a sore throat. THIS WAY!"
"WE'RE COMING!"
"I'LL BE WAITING!" Race shouted. No reply came to his comment so he sat down next to Mush.
"What was dat?" Spot asked Angel.
"That way." Angel pointed.
"Aight. Uh, tell da odduahs an I'll go now."
"Okay." Angel said as Spot ran off. Angel found Blink and Jack.
"Race found him he's down that way." Angel told them.
"Is he alive?" Blink asked.
"He didn't say, he's just down that way."
"Aight, Blink go tell da odduahs, lets go Angel." Jack said.
"Okay." Angel nodded. Jack and Angel found Spot and Race standing over Mush.
"Is he alive?" Angel asked.
"Yeah." Spot answered.
"Good."
"But he aint comin to."
"Not good."
"He kinda moved when I first found him." Race offered.
"Has he moved since?" Angel asked.
"I poked him a couple times and nothing happened."
"Okay, not a good thing."
"Should we try movin him or wakin him up?" Jack asked.
"Try waking him up first." Angel said.
"Aight." Jack said kneeling next to Mush. "Heya Mush." Jack said shaking him. "Wake up." Jack said shaking him harder. Mush stirred slightly. "Atta boy come on, wake up." Jack said shaking him more.
"Neh." Mush mumbled.
"Come on Mush wake up." Angel said.
"Mush get up." Spot said.
"Maybe I should poke him again." Race said.
"Aight, but I wahn ya if he comes up swingin it aint ouh fault." Jack said.
"It'd be good if he came up swingin." Spot added.
"Why's that?" Angel asked.
"Cause he'd have eneghy."
"At least he's alive."
"Yeah." Spot said as Jack kept shaking him. Mush frowned, turned on his side and spit up water.
"Yay. I think." Angel said. "Come on Mush wake up."
"Nah." Mush said weakly.
"Please you got to wake up." Angel said as Jack started shaking him again.
"Stop." Mush said slightly opening his eyes.
"Then wake up for us." Angel said as Jack ruffed up Mush's hair.
"I'm up." Mush muttered.
"Good." Angel said. Mush opened his eyes fully and looked around.
"Talking feet."
"Is this better?" Angel said kneeling down.
"Yeah."
"You had us scared."
"Undertow."
"What were you doing?"
"I went in af- where's Val?" Mush asked trying to sit up.
"Lay down she's on her way." Angel said pushing him back down.
"Oh."
"What's wrong?"
"I don't know."
"Join the club."
"How bout we go inside cause I'se freezing." Spot said.
"Patience." Angel told him. The rest of the group joined them and Val sat down next to Mush.
"Hey beach bum." Val smiled.
"Hey Valley Girl." Mush smirked.
"Um, can you walk?'
"I don't know they won't let me move."
"Good for them."
"You don't want me to walk?"
"I do, just when you're ready."
"Okay." Mush said closing his eyes.
"Hey, wake up."
"I'm awake."
"But you're eyes are closed." Bumlets said.
"Eh, happy?" Mush said opening them again.
"Yes."
"Don't fall sleep till we get ya to da noise." Skits said.
"I don't want to go to the nurse." Mush sighed.
"But you're going to anyway." Angel said.
"Why, I'm fine."
"We don't know that for sure, we want to make sure that you're fine."
"Babe?'
"You're fine looking but." Val smirked.
"Eh."
"Just can't win with us can ya?" Angel teased.
"I'm fine."
"You're laying in the sand, that's not fine." Val countered.
"It's comfy."
"You're going to the nurse whether you want to or not." Angel said.
"All right."
"Thank you."
"Until then, I'm sleeping."
"No you're not."
"Then help me up."
"If you'll be patient I will."
"Hahah." Val giggled.
"What's so funny?" Angel laughed.
"If we put some seaweed on him, he'll be a mer-" Val was saying.
"At least say merman and not maid." Mush interrupted.
"Merboy." Angel said.
"Aight, let's see what ya can do." Jack said.
"Uh, by myself?" Mush asked.
"No, we'll help ya." Jack said.
"Yeah, because we're nice like that." Angel smiled.
"I don't know, I thought we would find him and let him fend for his own." Pie smirked.
"I will get you." Mush said.
"I was just kidding Mush."
"Okay, let's go." David said.
"Help me up please." Mush said growing annoyed.
"Oh sorry." Angel said. Skits and Bumlets pulled Mush up and put his arms over their shoulder and walked him back to the dorm. Once there they went to the nurses office and waited while Mush was checked out. After half an hour the nurse cam out.
"Well, he's physically exhausted, looks like he got scraped on some coral so the skin on his back is a little raw. Other than that keep an eye on him in case he gets pneumonia and plenty of rest." The nurse said.
"Okay." Angel said. The nurse went back in the little room and Mush came out with a blanket wrapped around him.
"Cold?" Angel asked.
"Kinda." Mush replied.
"Okay lets get you to bed or at least upstairs."
"Okay." Mush nodded. Mush went to his room but couldn't sleep. Finally he got out of bed and went to Angel and Val's room.
"It's open!" Angel called. Mush walked in and saw Angel sitting on her bed and a lump under the covers on Val's bed.
"Hi." Mush said.
"Hey." Angel answered.
"Mind if I borrow your sis?"
"As long as you return her in one piece."
"I will." Mush smirked before walking over to Val's bed and poking her.
"Angel stop." The lump said.
"It's not me babe." Angel replied.
"Jack you're dumb."
"It's not Jack either. And he's not dumb."
"Um, wait I know that smell." Val said perking up.
"Really?" Mush asked.
"Hey." Val said pushing the covers off.
"Hey back at ya."
"What's up?"
"Can't sleep."
"Oh."
"You know I think I'm just going to visit Jack." Angel said.
"There's other guys in there, heard them when I walked by." Mush told her.
"It's okay."
"Okay."
"Bye." Angel said leaving the room before poking her head back inside. "Just don't get her pregnant."
"We'll use-" Mush started.
"Shush!" Val said hitting him.
"Bye." Angel said leaving again.
"So, can I help you fall asleep?' Val asked.
"I don't know, but we can finish that talk we were having earlier, since you can't run away now." Mush said. Val bit her lip for a moment.
"What talk?"
"The one where I asked you why you ran off."
"You never asked me that." Val said playing dumb.
"Yes I did."
"I ran after you asked me, so technically you didn't."
"I meant when I asked...when I told you to stay where you were and you said you would and I came back to see you running off."
"Oh."
"Yeah that one."
"What do you want to know?'
"Why you ran off?"
"Just to make sure we are talking about when we were here?"
"Yes."
"Because, I, uhm, thought of something."
"What?"
"Something Spot said."
"What did Spot say?" Mush asked choking Spot in his head.
"He said that if I don't deal with stuff it'll kill me."
"Are you dealing with something?'
"Not something, someone."
"Was it me?'
"No."
"Angel?'
"No."
"Who?'
"Well, everyone I guess."
"Care to elaborate?'
"Like, everything that's happened and will happen."
"What will happen?"
"Bad things."
"Like what?'
"Like more fights and Angel getting jumped and more people dying." Val explained.
"Wait who aside your mom has died?"
"No one."
"Val it's just a part of life."
"Thanks to that part of life I don't even remember what her voice sounds like anymore." Val said getting teary eyed.
"Babe you were only 7."
"I know, so what happened to the part in life when I actually get to be with my mom?"
"Well, I don't know why that happened but, it was wrong. I mean your time with her was cut short, and it shouldn't have happened, but it did. It's over now Val, what would your mom want you to do? Think about the past or move forward?" Mush asked gently.
"I don't know."
"I think she'd want you to move forward and stop living in the past."
"I'm not, I'm trying to live now but life sucks."
"Because of what happened to people around you?"
"Considering I caused half of it…YES!"
"Like what, what did you cause?" Mush asked.
"You want me to name the times?"
"If it'll help you deal with it, yeah."
"It won't."
"Enlighten me please." Mush said taking her hand.
"Okay, like the time when I was being a brat and made Angel go in the water and the creepy guy attacked her. That's one, um, then when it was my idea to go down the abandoned hall and those 4 guys grabbed us. And Pie got the crap beat out of him because he stepped in and if he hadn't….Anyway, and then the fight between Angel and Spot, that was over me." Val explained.
"Okay, so I'm seeing a pattern here, that you feel guilty for what's happened to Angel."
"I don't feel guilty for the Trevor thing."
"That's because you had nothing to do with it. So are you feeling guilty that you cause this stuff and Angel has to deal with the consequences?" Mush asked.
"Yeah."
"Do you think that's how she feels, like she's blaming you for it?'
"No, because she doesn't think it is."
"Doesn't think it is what?'
"My fault."
"Because it's not."
"You said it yourself, the things I do affect her."
"I think she would have tried to fight for you anyway, even if it didn't affect her."
"Like what she did with Spot?"
"Yeah that didn't affect her in anyway, she was just standing up for you."
"It wasn't hurting her, she could have let it go."
"But is Angel the type to do that?'
"Okay so why am I getting this because of the way I am but no one goes after her?'
"What?"
"Like how she's all over protective, no one questions it, but I'm also like that in my own way and I'm getting, talks."
"It's not because you're over protective, it's because you've been acting weird lately. And frankly it's scary." Mush said. Val frowned at him before responding.
"What's scary?"
"The things you said, I can't take this anymore, everything, and then you ran to the water. And how you blank out." Mush said carefully.
"The blanking out was like, nothing big, and I was just being general."
"Even Angel has noticed that you're acting weird."
"Well I live with her."
"She's scared too. And some of the guys see it to."
"That she's scared?"
"No that you're acting weird."
"So, I've been flaky."
"That's the thing, it's not like you."
"Okay, what's the point of all this?'
"We're worried about you."
"Ya'll worry me sometimes."
"You've also been really depressed lately.
"Wh- how do you know?'
"I can see it."
"Okay…?"
"It's the depression and flaking out, and talking like you did earlier, it scares me." Mush admitted.
"Oh, like I'm, oh." Val said.
"Yeah."
"My bad."
"Is that really how you're feeling though?' Mush asked.
"Think about it , if you hadn't gone after me in the water, you would have been fine."
"But you wouldn't have been."
"I wasn't going to drown myself."
"I didn't know that. Like I said you're the best thing that ever happened to me, if I ever lost you, I don't know what I'd do." Mush said quietly. Val looked at him.
"I'm not going to drown myself Mush."
"I'm not talking about just drowning yourself, I mean, in general…if I EVER lost you, I don't know what I'd do."
"Why?" Val asked.
"Because I care about you. And this is the first time someone cares about me."
"There are, eh." Val started.
"What?"
"What did you do before you met me?"
"I was angry all the time I didn't give a crap about anybody or anything, cept myself. Since I met you that's changed."
"But, there are other people who care." Val said trying to find a way out.
"Not like you."
"You don't know that."
"Of all the people I met at the ranch, you're the one who cares the most."
"There's other people aside from convicts."
"Yeah but what we've been through together, it helps us, there's a bond there." Mush smirked. Val looked around the room for a way to run but Mush was still holding her hand.
"I have to go to the bathroom."
"What's in the bathroom?"
"A toilet."
"Anything else?"
"I do not cut if that's what you're asking." Val said defensively.
"I'm talking about than just cutting Val."
"Oh my gosh, do you want to search it before I go in?"
"I just want to make sure that you're not trying to kill yourself."
"I wouldn't try." Val muttered.
"Okay." Mush said. Val held his hand tighter.
"Um, I didn't say that because of why you may think, I mean if I went for it, I'd do it." Val said nervously.
"Please don't." Mush pleaded.
"Trying not to."
"Kay."
"Okay? That's it? Every time I see like a pen I wonder what it would feel like to be sliced by it and you say okay?'
"What else am I supposed to say. I don't want to let you out of my sight, because if I do I'm afraid you'll kill yourself?"
"Yes! I know that's not possible but it would make feel better and know someone actually thought that." Val said as she tried not to cry.
"Then yeah I don't want to let you out of my sight. I'm afraid of loosing you Val." Mush said vehemently. Val was quiet for a few moments.
"Are you just saying that or?"
"I mean it with every fiber of my being."
"Okay."
"So, now you can go to the bathroom."
"I was gonna pretend to pass out so when you went to get help I could go out the window."
"Tricky." Mush said shaking his head.
"Hehe." Val giggled.
"There's my girl." Mush smiled.
"Um, about that, am, are we official?'
"Will you be my one and only girlfriend?"
"You mean, item hood?"
"I mean item hood."
"Gotta love Ben and Joon."
"Yeah."
'Yes, we should be in item hood."
"Good."
"Now I can actually tell people we're dating." Val smirked.
"Yep. And I can be as over protective as I want, and actually have a reason to bust Spot."
"Why do you two fight?" Val asked leaning into him.
"Cause he gave me some crappy advice."
"Oh, on purpose?"
"Um, part of me says yes."
"What about the other part?"
"The other part doesn't know."
"Why do you think he gave you bad advice?"
"Cause he's jealous or something I don't know."
"Hm. Try to be nice."
"I'll try, I make no promises though."
"Oh my manly man." Val teased.
"At least I'm not wearing tights."
"Heheh."
"Glad to see you smile."
"You're the reason I do."
"Am I the only reason?"
"No, but you kept me from following through."
"Good."
"Oh, I have to go say sorry to people."
"They can wait."
"Hey."
"You?"
"Um, when Angel and Jack first started dating they made out in here but then I told them they couldn't."
"Okay."
"So, in a way I, we get a freebie."
"Oh how so?" Mush asked mischievously.
"Well, Angel never said I couldn't make out with you here, you just can't get me pregnant." Val; giggled.
"Okay, I like the way you think." Mush smirked. Val stopped laughing as Mush started to lean in. He softly kissed her on the lips and pulled back.
"Wow, that all?" Val teased.
"Didn't want to scare ya off." Mush smirked.
"You won't."
"Okay then." Mush said before kissing her longer and more deeply. Soon they were in a make out session and didn't hear the door open. Mush looked out of the corner of his eye and saw a figure in the doorway. He jumped and fell off the bed.
"Eh." Mush said as he pulled a shoe out from under his butt that he had landed on.
"Ah huh, nice little talk you guys are having." Angel said.
"I think so to." Val smiled.
"Kay, don't mind me I'm just grabbing some stuff and I'll be gone in a minute." Angel said walking to her bed.
"Well in that case." Mush jested as he got back on the bed.
"Please just no slurping while I'm in the room."
"Not in front of my sister." Val laughed.
"Thank you Val." Angel said.
"You spending the night with Jack?'
"Yeah."
"Oh, mind if I have a word with him real quick?"
"So long as you don't injure him."
"I don't think I will."
"Okay, then by all means talk away."
"I'll be back." Val told Mush as she ran out of the room. Val went down the hall and knocked on Jack's door.
"Come in." Jack called. Val came in to find the room empty aside from Jack.
"Where's Bum?" Val asked.
"He said he missed Spot."
"Oh."
'Yeah, he's weihd. What ya up to?"
"Just thought I'd stop by before Angel came back."
"I won't get hah pregnant an I won't break hah heart."
"You remembered, and don't hit her."
"Not even self defense?'
"Nope."
"Aight."
"That's not why I came."
"What did ya come foh?"
"To say thanks for helping find Mush and say sorry for how I've been."
"No problem, dat's what friends ah foh."
"Okay."
"Is dat it?"
"Yuppers."
"Aight night Val."
"Oh one more thing."
"Yesh?" Jack asked. Val smirked and tackled him.
"HA!" Val laughed as she ran out of the room.
"What was dat foh!" Jack yelled.
"Showing you I can still take ya down!" Val called back.
"SHUT UP!" David yelled.
"That's not nice Dave!" Val said as she ran past his room.
"I don't care!"
"You better or I'll beat you with my shoe!"
"Okay okay I care!"
"Mama's back!" Pie shouted from his room.
"Dang it!" Skits said.
"I missed her shut up!" Bum shouted.
"Do you see what you've started?" Mush smirked when she returned to her room.
"Hahah. Yeah." Val smirked
"Night guys. Remember, no pregnancies, I don't want to be an aunt just yet." Angel told them.
"Oh, Jack may need an ice pack."
"What did you do to him?"
"I hit, tackled him."
"Hmmhm."
"Both?"
"Hmmh. Mush you may have to be careful with this one."
"I can tell." Mush smirked.
"Anyway good night you two."
"Night sis." Val said.
"Night."
"Night sis." Mush called.
"You aint married to her yet you don't get to call me sis." Angel said.
"Hmm."
"One step at a time." Val said.
"Step one, make out."
"I like that step."
"Not till I'm out of the room!" Angel yelled as they started kissing.
"Then go!" Val said throwing a shoe at her.
"I'm leaving!"
"Faster." Mush added.
"I'm going as fast as I can, can't you two be patient enough till I get to the door?" Angel asked.
"Does Mush need to carry you out?" Val teased.
"Good gravy no I'm at the door now gah!"
"Close it please." Mush said.
"Closing." Angel said as she closed the door.
"Love ya sis!" Val called.
"Love you too!" Angel answered.
"Are you gone yet?' Mush asked. He was met with silence. "That means yes."
"Shall we redo step one?" Val smirked.
"I think so."
"Okay."